(HONOLULU)–It’s a month of legends at Blue Note Hawaii with the Godfather of British Blues John Mayall, one of the most celebrated vocalists of our time, Dionne Warwick, and the band of reggae legend Bob Marley, The Wailers, all gracing the stage this May at Blue Note Hawaii. Local favorite Leipono kick us off on May Day, followed by Kuana Torres Kahele in his tribute to the island of Maui featuring Amy Hanaiali‘i. Mike Lewis & Friends promise to bring the house down in a tribute to the music of Prince featuring sultry songstress Ginai. There’s a night of Hawaii Jazz All Stars with Josh Kaye and Mike Lewis, welcoming some of the island’s best jazz musicians. The Island 98.5 Rocksteady Reggae Series continues this month with the formidable Wailing Souls and The Wailers. Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro, and the incomparable Willie K returns to the stage. Musical tributes this month from Mike Lewis & Friends include Thelonious Monk, Chuck Mangione, Chet Baker and Sade and Josh Kaye & Friends will pay homage to the great Aretha Franklin featuring vocalist Sherry Graham. The Honolulu Jazz Quartet will present a tribute to Broadway Classics with a jazz twist.

A 15% kama‘aina discount is available to residents for most shows. This is available online with code MAHALO15, as well as in person at the box office. Parking is validated at the OHANA East Hotel for $6 for four hours, and at the Outrigger Waikiki for $15 for four hours valet.

Since 1928, Hawaii has been celebrating the beautiful tradition of making and wearing lei on May first, because “May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii Nei.” This popular phrase in the islands prevents anyone from forgetting this special day. We’re celebrating Lei Day at Blue Note with Leipono; a lei of songs designed by Pono Murray.

For over 50 years John Mayall has served as a pioneer of blues music, earning him the title “The Godfather of British Blues.” In 2013 John signed with Forty Below Records and has since been experiencing a true artistic renaissance, evidenced by his 2016 induction into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Kuana has been involved in the music and hula scene of Hilo since he was 6 years old, training as a kane dancer under legendar Hilo kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho. Kuana continues his Tribute to the Hawaiian Islands with his tribute to Maui, featuring Hawaii music superstar, Amy Hanaiali’i.

Mike Lewis and Ginai return to Blue Note presenting a tribute to one of the most prolific, discerning, uniquely and unabashedly individual musicians/composers/ visionaries the world has ever known, His Royal Badness: Prince

Local jazz stars Mike Lewis and Josh Kaye are teaming up to present an all-star night, featuring some of the best musicians on the island. Featured guests will include Dean Taba on bass and Noel Okimoto on drums.

Fusing the harmonies of Motown with the roots of reggae, The Wailing Souls have ridden the crest of Jamaica’s music for more than four decades. Nominated for a GRAMMY® award three times, the group scored hits with classic tunes, “War,” “Bredda Gravlicious,” and “Firehouse Rock.” The group attracted global attention when their music was featured in the 1993 Disney film, “Cool Runnings.”

Jake Shimabukuro can still vividly remember the first time he held an ukulele at age four when his mother gave him his first ukulele lesson. It was an encounter that would shape his destiny and give the world one of the most exceptional and innovative uke players in the history of the instrument—an artist who has drawn comparisons to musical titans such as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis.

Mike Lewis & Friends pay tribute to the great Thelonious Monk. Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer with a unique imrovisational style, who made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire and is the second-most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington.

Trumpeter Mike Lewis plays tribute to famed flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione. Mangione achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-pop single, “Feels So Good.” His unshakably positive persona stood in contrast to the often tragic stereotype of many jazz legends, finding a place in the hearts of mainstream listeners and releasing more than thirty albums since 1960.

Few artists have accomplished what Dionne Warwick has. She’s dominated charts across the world, received five GRAMMY® Awards and sold over 25 million records. With the help of songwriting partners Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Warwick ranks second only to Aretha Franklin as the most charted female vocalist in history, with classic recordings like “Walk On By,” “Say a Little Prayer,” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.”

Mike Lewis & Friends pay tribute to the late, great Chet Baker. Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s drawn by his Miles Davis-like style and when he was chosen by Charlie Parker to play for a series of West Coast engagements. He became an icon of the West Coast “cool school” of jazz, helped by his good looks and singing talent.

The Hawaiian phenomenon Willie K is undoubtedly the only artist in the world who can go into an Irish pub in the middle of Maui and play anything from indigenous acoustic Hawaiian music to jazz, reggae, rock, country and even opera leaving everyone within earshot slack-jawed in astonishment.

Trumpeter Mike Lewis and vocalist Ginai pay tribute to one of the greatest contemporary soul singers of the last 30 years – Sade. Sade got her start in London recording her first album, “Diamond Life,” in 1984. Featuring singles “Smooth Operator” and “Your Love is King,” the album won her a Best New Artist GRAMMY® and established Sade as a top-selling soul and pop artist.

Pianist Josh Kaye returns to Blue Note, leading a special concert tribute to the one and only Aretha Franklin, featuring vocalist Sherry Graham. Franklin has won a total of 18 GRAMMY® Awards and is one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide.

Honolulu Jazz Quartet pay tribute to well-known Broadway musical classics, with a jazz twist! After spending eight years in New York City during the 1980s playing jazz and Broadway shows, leader/composer/bassist John Kolivas founded the Honolulu Jazz Quartet with the intent of bringing four like-minded musicians together to create a consistent, indelible sound.
The Wailers
May 30-June 2nd
Tickets: Table & Booth Seating $55, Bar $45
Showtimes: 6:30 & 9:00 p.m.
Doors: 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

The Wailers continue to bring their revolutionary sound to fans around the world. Since 1981, founders Aston Barrett and and Junior Marvin have carried on the mission to “keep The Wailers together,” just as Bob requested, affirming: “By doing that, you keep me alive through the music.”

About Blue Note Entertainment Group
Blue Note Entertainment Group, founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns and operates New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, Subrosa, and Lucille’s Grill; The Howard Theatre (Washington D.C.); and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide (Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan and Milan, Italy, Beijing, China, Napa, California, and Rio De Janeiro, Brazil). The company also programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA). Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY®-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalogue includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel, Management Group and Media Group.